Basics
- Length:
- 125 miles (201 km)
- Time:
- A self-guided tour could take a half day to two days.
- Fees:
- Because the byway contains a goulash of private tourist enterprises, the travelers are advised to take money along for entrance fees.
Description
Teche Country is off the beaten path and is a little wild with its lush vegetation and hauntingly beautiful moss-draped oaks.Following the scenic route that meanders alongside the Bayou Teche,a stream that twists and turns for 125 miles through the semi-tropical land of southern Louisiana, is a journey into the geographical heart of Acadiana.
Once described as the "most richly storied of the interior waters, and the most opulent," this body of water was the center ofa booming cypress industry in the early 1900s. The traveler can get a firsthand glimpse of giant oaks with 150-foot reach, trailing moss sometimes a yard below the branches, along the brown-watered stream. The opulent Greek Revival mansions scattered here and there along it appeared on the landscape as a result of the "sugar money" derived from the area's most abundant crop, sugarcane. If the traveler stops in the small villages and towns that have built up along the bayou, she or he can hear the authentic and uncorrupted dialect of the Acadian people.
Points of Interest
Points of Interest Along The Way
Brownell Memorial Park and Carillon Tower (LA)
The 9.5 acre park is a natural setting next to lovely Lake Palourde (a Native American word meaning shellfish). The 106 feet tall carillon tower contains 61 bronze bells which were cast in Holland. Bells play two selections every 30 minutes. The park is a designated bird sanctuary and a must for naturalists and photography buffs.
Directions
3559 Hwy. 70; Morgan City, LA 70380
Charenton Heritage Museum (LA)
Museum exhibits include local, papal, and economic history, the history of the Bayou Teche and Atchafalaya Basin, plus a display of flags.
Directions
3041 Chitimacha Trail, Charenton, LA 70523
Chitimacha Museum (LA)
The Chitimacha, Men Altogether Red, were the first inhabitants of the region. The tribe was well-known for its basket weaving skills. Take a trip back in time through the history of the Chitimacha through the viewing of artifacts and a brief video.
Directions
3289 Chitimacha Trail, Charenton, LA 70523
Conrad Rice Mill/KONRICKO® (LA)
Share some of the Cajun joie de vivre at Konriko Rice Mill, America's oldest rice mill. The tour begins in theKONRIKO® Company Store with a history of Cajun culture. Next, watch rice being packaged and rice cakes being made as you tour the mill. Afterwards, sample a tasty KONRIKO® product.
Directions
New Iberia, LA 70560
Cypremort Point State Park (LA)
One of Louisiana's finest areas for sailing, the park includes a sand launch designed especially for catamarans, sunfish and windsurfers. As sailboats and windsurfers race across Vermilion Bay, families picnic, sunbathe, play along the beach and enjoy the spectacle. Between Grand Isle and Cameron, Cypremort Point is the only locality near the Gulf of Mexico that can be reached by car. A half-mile stretch of a man-made beach provides a delightful area for relaxing, picnicking and enjoying the water. It also affords an opportunity for fishing, crabbing, water skiing, windsurfing and, of course, sailing.
Directions
Located off of LA 319 at Cypremort.
Cypress Manor (LA)
This two-story, turn of the century home located in Morgan City is typical of the finer homes of the area during that period. The home contains an elaborate display of Mardi Gras costumes and memorabilia. The Artifacts Collection includes toys, clothing, Indian basketry, and other area relics.
Directions
715 Second St., Morgan City, LA 70380
Grevemberg House Museum (LA)
On the National Register of Historic Places, this 1851 Greek Revival-style townhouse is authentically restored. Four "Temple of the Winds" Corinthian columns grace the home, which contains fine antiques, documented wallpapers and early artifacts from St. Mary Parish.
Directions
407 Sterling Rd., Franklin, LA 70538
House of Needlework (LA)
Five generations of fine needlework dating from 1829 are displayed on antique furnishings. Pieces include hooked rugs, hand-painted quilts, needlepoint, crewel, and knitting.
Directions
610 St. Mary Parish Rd. 131, Franklin, LA 70538
International Petroleum Museum and Exposition (LA)
The renowned and historic drilling rig, "Mr. Charlie,"
is thecenterpiece of this unique facility. Visitors learn about the oil industry,past and present, the functions of the oil rig, and tales about theindustry's beginnings.
Directions
Riverfront, Morgan City, LA 70381
Jeanerette Museum (LA)
The words Le Beau Petit Musee describe this museum. It features a pictorial history of 200 years of the sugarcane industry including a video. The Swamp Room includes over 40 native specimens in a natural wildlife setting. Other rooms include the Cypress Room, the Mardi Gras Room, and the Black History Room.
Directions
500 East Main Street, Jeanerette, LA 70544